Intelligent computer switch

ABSTRACT

An intelligent computer switch is described. The intelligent computer switch has an automatic detection capacity to control a plurality of computers with at least one keyboard, at least one mouse and at least one monitor. The intelligent computer switch comprises an input port, a control device, an output port, and a plurality of computer connection ports. The input port receives input commands and data, and the output port sends output commands and data. While a series connection cable connected to the input port, the intelligent computer switch is determined to be a slave. While the series connection cable is not connected to the series connection cable, the intelligent computer switch is determined to be a master. The intelligent computer switch further comprises an on-screen display function and an authority-setting function with at least 4 sets of passwords for different users. Each slave generates a series number according to the sequence thereof and the master controls each slave according to the series number.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an intelligent computer switch andespecially to an intelligent computer switch with an auto detectingfunction and an auto adjusting function as a series connection sequenceis changed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The wide proliferation of personal computers and networks allows peopleto utilize the networks to search for and provide information.Currently, network requests are higher, and network-related enterpriseshave to buy large numbers of computers and a lot of network equipment tosatisfy user requests. For example, internet service providers andvirtual host providers need to buy large numbers of server computers torent to users. Because these providers may supply a fast networkenvironment, a lot of companies are willing to rent their servers. Themanagement and trouble shooting of these computers may become animportant link. A larger server provider has thousands of servercomputers. Control of each of these computers requires a monitor, akeyboard and a mouse. Actually, each of these computers spends littletime on the monitor, keyboard and mouse. Most of the time, the serversneed no peripheral devices for control. Control of every computer with aset of these peripheral devices would incur high operation costs and isnot necessary.

Such peripheral devices also waste space. In resolution of theseproblems, a computer switch with a monitor, a keyboard and a mousecontrols a plurality of server computers.

A compact type of the computer switch can connect at least two computersand switch between these computers. The quantities of the connectionport are increased to connect more computers by way of one computerswitch. However, this arrangement still cannot fulfill the requests of alarger computer company. Hence, a series connection computer switch isdesigned for a larger computer company. More computers can be controlledby the series connection computer switches with one set of peripheraldevices, a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. The series connectioncomputer switches reduce the quantity of the peripheral devices. Seriesconnection computer switches set their series number with dip switches,a type of mechanical switch. Therefore, every series connection computerswitch must be set with its own series number before use. If a seriesnumber is duplicated or a computer switch is not functioning, the seriesnumbers must be checked and reset. During this process, all servercomputers must wait for a new computer switch to be set and installed.This wastes time and delays business.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The series numbers of conventional computer switches are difficult toset and incorrect settings are difficult to find. There is therefor aneed to have a computer switch that can automatically generated seriesnumber thereof and automatically arrange the connection sequence. Inparticular, if the series connection sequence is changed, the computerswitches can automatically rearrange their series numbers and control bythe new master computer switch.

The present invention discloses an intelligent computer switch with anautomatic detection capacity to control a plurality of computers withone keyboard, one mouse and one monitor. The intelligent computer switchcomprises an input port, a control device, an output port, and aplurality of computer connection ports.

The input port receives input commands and input data from otherintelligent computer switches. The output port sends output commands andoutput data to another intelligent computer switch. The control devicecouples with the input port and the output port. While a seriesconnection cable is connected to the input port, the control device setsthe intelligent computer switch as a slave. While the series connectioncable is not connected to the input port, the control device sets theintelligent computer switch as a master. The control device repeatedlydetects a connection status of the input port. The plurality of computerconnection ports couple with the control device and control thecomputers.

The intelligent computer switch comprises an on screen display functionand an authority-setting function with at least 4 sets of passwords fordifferent users. The master can control the slave and obtain data fromthe slave. Each slave generates a series number according to thequantity of intelligent computer switches before the slave and themaster can control each slave according to the series number.

Another aspect of the present invention is an intelligent computerswitch system to control a plurality of computers with at least onekeyboard, at least one mouse and at least one monitor. The intelligentcomputer switch system comprises at least one series connection cableand a plurality of intelligent computer switches. The series connectioncable couples an output port of one intelligent computer switch to theinput port of other intelligent computer switches.

Therefore, the intelligent computer switch according to the presentinvention can detect and arrange the series connection sequenceautomatically. The master can obtain the data from the slavesimmediately when the series connection sequence is changed or a newslave is added. The intelligent computer switch can control a pluralityof server computers with only one set of peripheral devices. Inparticular, as the series connection sequence is changed, theintelligent computer switch may detect the master, determine the slavesequence, and the master can obtain information of all server computersimmediately.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention are more readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment according to the presentinvention, intelligent computer switches, connected with peripheraldevices and server computers;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram to describe changing the series connectionsequence of the intelligent computer switches according to the presentinvention when the status of series connection cables is changed; and

FIG. 3 is a flow chart to describe the work process of the intelligentcomputer switches according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment according to the presentinvention, intelligent computer switches, connected with peripheraldevices and server computers. In one embodiment, three intelligentcomputer switches 10 connect with a monitor 40, a keyboard 50, a mouse60 and a plurality of server computers 70. Each intelligent computerswitch 10 comprises an input port 11, an output port 12, a firstconnection port 13, a second connection port 14, a monitor connectionport 15, a keyboard connection port 16, and a mouse connection port 17.The monitor connection port 15 connects with the monitor 40. Thekeyboard connection port 16 connects with the keyboard 50. The mouseconnection port 17 connects with the mouse 60. The first connection port13 and the second connection port 14 connect with the server computers70. The output port 12 connects with the input port 11 of anotherintelligent computer switch 10. The intelligent computer switch 10controls the server computers 70 with only one set of peripheraldevices, the monitor 40, the keyboard 50, and the mouse 60. Eachintelligent computer switch 10 can control about 2-16 server computersand can serially connect about 31 intelligent computer switches 10. Thatis to say, about 512 server computers can be controlled by one set ofperipheral devices. It will be appreciated that the quantities of thecontrolled server computers and the serially connected intelligentcomputer switches are not limited to the quantities stated here.

Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic diagram discloses that the seriesconnection sequence of the intelligent computer switches according tothe present invention is changed when the status of the seriesconnection cables is changed. For example, three intelligent computerswitches 100, 200 and 300 according to the present invention areconnected by series connection cables 400 and 500. On the left side ofthe diagram, the series connection cable 400 connects an output port 104of the intelligent computer switch 100 to an input port 202 of theintelligent computer switch 200, and the series connection cable 500connects an output port 204 of the intelligent computer switch 200 to aninput port 302 of the intelligent computer switch 300, simultaneously.The input port 202 obtains data and commands from the output port 104.The input port 302 obtains data and commands from the output port 204.The three intelligent computer switches 100, 200 and 300 are connectedtogether serially. Each intelligent computer switch can control about 16server computers, and the three intelligent computer switches 100, 200and 300 can therefore control about 48 server computers. A set ofperipheral devices 106, a monitor, a mouse and a keyboard, is connectedto the intelligent computer switche 100. Therefore, the set ofperipheral devices 106 controls the server computers connected to thethree intelligent computer switches 100, 200 and 300. At this moment,the intelligent computer switch 100 is defined as a master, theintelligent computer switch 200 is defined as slave 1 and theintelligent computer switch 300 is defined as slave 2.

On the right side of the diagram, the connection status of the cables400 and 500 is changed, and therefore the series connection sequence ischanged. As the right side of the diagram shows, the cable 400 isconnected to the output port 304 of the intelligent computer switch 300instead of the output port 104 of the intelligent computer switch 100.Simultaneously, the cable 500 is connected to the input port 102 of theintelligent computer switch 100 instead of the input port 302 of theintelligent computer switch 300. At this moment, the intelligentcomputer switch 300 is defined as a master; the intelligent computerswitch 100 is defined as slave 2 and the intelligent computer switch 200is defined as slave 1. Therefore, the set of peripheral devices 306connected to intelligent computer switch 300 controls the servercomputers connected to the three intelligent computer switches 100, 200and 300. The intelligent computer switch detects the status of the inputport and then a control device, such as a central processing unit or aprogrammable control unit, determines the intelligent computer switch tobe a master or a slave.

The intelligent computer switch further has the function of on screendisplay (OSD). The OSD function can set at least names of the servercomputers and parameters of the intelligent computer switch moreefficiently. As the data are set by the OSD function, the data arestored in a memory of the intelligent computer switch directly connectedto the input computer and are transferred to the master. When the masteris changed, the new master requests that slaves send their data to thenew master. Therefore, the new master controls all server computersconnected directly and indirectly thereto. This function saves a lot oftime when the series connection sequence is changed. The networkmanagement can control all server computers immediately.

The intelligent computer switch detects status with a predeterminedfrequency. If the intelligent computer switches find the seriesconnection sequence is changed, the intelligent computer switchesconfirm the new master. The important factor is whether or not the inputport is connected to a series connection cable. If the input port isconnected to a series connection cable, the intelligent computer switchis a slave. On the contrary, if the input port is not connected to aseries connection cable, the intelligent computer switch is master. Whenthe master is determined, the series numbers of the other intelligentcomputer switches are determined. The intelligent computer switchdirectly connected with the master is slave 1. The slave of theintelligent computer switch directly connecting with slave 1 is slave 2.Therefore, the series connection sequence is determined.

Referring to FIG. 3, a flow chart discloses the work process of theintelligent computer switches according to the present invention. Instep 610, the intelligent computer switch is turned on. In step 620, theintelligent computer switch detects whether or not a series connectioncable is connected to the input port. If a series connection cable isconnected to the input port, the process goes to step 630, theintelligent computer switch is identified as a slave, and then theprocess goes to step 645. If no series connection cable is connected tothe input port, the process goes to step 640, the intelligent computerswitch is determined as a master, and then the process goes to step 645.In step 645, the intelligent computer switches arrange their seriesconnection sequence. The series number is about the quantity of theintelligent computer switch before this intelligent computer switch. 00means a master, 01 means slave 1, 02 means slave 2, and so on.

Because the master is 00, slave 1 obtains information from the master,and then the slave 1 determines the series number thereof to be 01. Bythe same rule, slave 2 obtains information from slave 1 and slave 2 adds1 to determine the series number thereof. In step 650, the intelligentcomputer switch detects whether or not the series connection sequencehas changed. If the series connection sequence has changed, the processgoes back to step 620. If the series connection sequence is unchanged,the process goes to step 660. Step 660 separates the intelligentcomputer in two ways: the first way is waiting for the master commandfor the slaves; the second way is communicating with the slaves toobtain the data in their memories for the master. In step 690, themaster continues detecting whether or not any new slave has been added.Both master and slave go back to step 620 after a predetermined periodto detect whether or not the series connection sequence has changed.

Due to the previous process, the intelligent computer switches accordingto the present invention can automatically detect and arrange thesequence thereof. The master can obtain the data from the slavesimmediately when the series connection sequence is changed or a newslave is added. The intelligent computer switch according to the presentinvention can control a plurality of server computers with one set ofthe peripheral devices. In particular, as the series connection sequenceis changed, the intelligent computer switch immediately detects themaster, determines the slave sequence, and the master obtainsinformation from all server computers. Furthermore, the intelligentcomputer switch according to the present invention has an OSD functionto input the server computer information in the memory of theintelligent computer switch. When the intelligent computer switches areworking, the master catches the data to control the server computers.

As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferredembodiments of the present invention are illustrative of the presentinvention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intendedthat various modifications and similar arrangements be included withinthe spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which shouldbe accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all suchmodifications and similar structures.

1.-11. (canceled)
 12. A computer switch comprising: a set of peripheraldevice ports for connecting to a set of peripheral devices; an inputport; an output port; a control device coupled to the input port and theoutput port, the control device repeatedly detecting whether the inputport is occupied to repeatedly determine a master or slave status of thecomputer switch, wherein if the input port is occupied, the controldevice determines the computer switch to be a slave and provides data toa first external computer switch connected to the input port, and if theinput port is unoccupied, the control device determines the computerswitch to be a master and controls a second external computer switchconnected to the output port and obtains data from the second externalcomputer switch; and a plurality of computer connection ports coupled tothe control device for connecting to and controlling a plurality ofcomputers, wherein the plurality of computers are controlled by the setof peripheral devices if the computer switch is determined to be amaster, and are controlled by the first external computer switchconnected to the input port if the computer switch is determined to be aslave.
 13. The computer switch of claim 12, wherein if the controldevice determines the computer switch to be a slave, it configures aseries number of the computer switch into a slave series number based oninformation regarding a series connection sequence received from theinput port.
 14. The computer switch of claim 13, wherein the controldevice repeatedly detects the information regarding the seriesconnection sequence from the input port and reconfigures its seriesnumber if the series connection sequence has changed.
 15. The computerswitch of claim 12, wherein if the control device determines thecomputer switch to be a master, it configures a series number of thecomputer switch into a master series number.
 16. The computer switch ofclaim 15, wherein the control device repeatedly detects informationreceived from the output port to determine whether a new slave has beenadded.
 17. A computer switch comprising: a set of peripheral deviceports for connecting to a set of peripheral devices; a plurality ofcomputer connection ports for connecting to a plurality of computers; aninput port; an output port; and a control device coupled to the set ofperipheral device ports, the computer connection ports, the input portand the output port, the control device repeatedly detecting whether theinput port is occupied to repeatedly determine a master or slave statusof the computer switch, wherein if the input port is occupied, thecontrol device determines the computer switch to be a slave andcommunicates data and commands between the input port and the pluralityof computer connection ports, and if the input port is unoccupied, thecontrol device determines the computer switch to be a master andcommunicates data and commands between the set of peripheral deviceports and the plurality of computer connection ports.
 18. The computerswitch of claim 17, wherein if the control device determines thecomputer switch to be a slave, it further communicates data and commandsbetween the input port and the output port.
 19. The computer switch ofclaim 17, wherein if the control device determines the computer switchto be a master, it further communicates data and commands between theset of peripheral device ports and the output port.
 20. The computerswitch of claim 17, wherein if the control device determines thecomputer switch to be a master, the computer switch controls a slavecomputer switch connected to the output port of the computer switch andobtains data from the slave computer switch.
 21. The computer switch ofclaim 17, wherein if the control device determines the computer switchto be a slave, it configures a series number of the computer switch intoa slave series number based on information regarding a series connectionsequence received from the input port.
 22. The computer switch of claim21, wherein the control device repeatedly detects the informationregarding the series connection sequence from the input port andreconfigures its series number if the series connection sequence haschanged.
 23. The computer switch of claim 17, wherein if the controldevice determines the computer switch to be a master, it configures aseries number of the computer switch into a master series number. 24.The computer switch of claim 23, wherein the control device repeatedlydetects information received from the output port to determine whether anew slave is added.
 25. A method executed by a computer switch, thecomputer switch having a set of peripheral device ports for connectingto a set of peripheral devices, a plurality of computer connection portsfor connecting to a plurality of computers, an input port, and an outputport, the method comprising: repeatedly detecting whether the input portis occupied to repeatedly determine a master or slave status of thecomputer switch; if the input port is occupied, determining the computerswitch to be a slave and communicating data and commands between theinput port and the plurality of computer connection ports; and if theinput port is unoccupied, determining the computer switch to be a masterand communicating data and commands between the set of peripheral deviceports and the plurality of computer connection ports.
 26. The method ofclaim 25, further comprising: if the computer switch is determined to bea slave, communicating data and commands between the input port and theoutput port.
 27. The method claim 25, further comprising: if thecomputer switch is determined to be a master, communicating data andcommands between the set of peripheral device ports and the output port.28. The method of claim 25, further comprising: if the computer switchis determined to be a slave, configuring a series number of the computerswitch into a slave series number based on information regarding aseries connection sequence received from the input port.
 29. The methodof claim 28, further comprising: repeatedly detecting the informationregarding the series connection sequence from the input port andreconfiguring the series number if the series connection sequence haschanged.
 30. The method of claim 25, further comprising: if the computerswitch is determined to be a master, configuring a series number of thecomputer switch into a master series number.
 31. The method of claim 30,further comprising: repeatedly detecting information received from theoutput port to determine whether a new slave has been added.